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Photographic 

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D 
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empreinte. 


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TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


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dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
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symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


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required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film^  d  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m6thode. 


1 

2 

3 

12  3 

4  5  6 


MAY  BLOSSOMS 


FROM    THE 


ieoc22:"z-  3Nvi:oTJiNrrr-A.ii:TS 


IN    HONOR    OF    THE 


B.  MOTHER  OF  GOD. 


ST.  IGNATIUS'  PRINT. 

MONTANA. 

1886. 


d^^^^luXxL  ■    rij  -  ^  V  f'. 


■YO- 

AM 


Entorod  accordins:  to  Act  of  Ci^j-nss,  in  tlu-  year  1886 
by  L.  H.  Palladix,),  in  tl..-  otficv  of  the  Librarian  of 
Conj^n-css,  at  Wasliin-lon,  I).  C. 


Superiorum  perinissu. 


Ml 


PREFACE. 


1.  These  blossoms  are  little  printed 
slips  of  different  color,  or  short-  readings, 
each  containing  a  practical  suggestion,  a  little 
some  thing,  to  be  complied  with  as  an  act  of 
devotion  towards  the  Blessed  Mother  of  God. 


2.  A  number  of  these  little  payiers  are 
thrown  together  and  held  out  in  trays  or  little 
baskets  by  some  children  at  the  doors  of  the 
church,  when  the  people  are  leaving,  and 
every  one,  whilst  going  out,  picks  up  at  ran- 
dom one  of  the  slips  and  takes  it  along,  to 
faithftiUy  perform  that  day,  or  the  next,  or 


1^  ft'^'^^^1 


6 


MAY  BLOSSOMS 


during  the  week,  aa  the  case  may  be  and  the 
reading  may  require,  what  little  act  of  viilue 
has  thus  fallen  to  each  one^s  lot  to  do. 


Every  one  should  be  very  particular  and 
make  sure,  tasking  t)T  that,  when  necessary. 
Ills  or  her  own  ingenuity,  1o  do  some  thing  in 
the  h:tter  or  spuit  of  the  little  paper.  Thin 
point  can  not  be  insisted  upon  too  much  j  all 
should  be  reminded  of  it  often  and  made  to 
keex>  it  constantly  befor^  their  eyes:  (dl  the 
hleaaingH  of  the  devoUon  depend  upon  it. 


4.  Though  intended  principj'Uy  for  the  May 
devotions,  the  little  papers  will  be  found  ser- 
viceable also  in  all  the  Novenae  of  Our  Blesn- 
e<l  Jjady.  Nay,  by  giving  tliem  out,  say  every 
H  uiday.  to  be  complied  with  as  a  weekly  ho» 
mage  to  the  Queen  of  Heaven,  their  use  nsav 
\\e>  continued  throughout  the  year  t-o  great  ad* 
-N  antage. 

5.  The  littl'^  slijjs  are  not  to  be  returned, 


PREFACE 


e 


still  les8  to  he  destroyed:  they  should  he 
kept  in  each  one' s  prayer  book,  as  marks ;  or 
may  simply  be  placed  between  the  leaves  of 
any  book.  Thus  preserved,  they  may  still 
benefit  you  or  some  one  else. 

■  ■  ' 
6.  These  little  papers  are  the  result  of  ma- 
ny yeai-s  of  experience  and  observation,  and 
their  idea  was  partially  suggested  by  the  ea- 
gerness with  which  young  and  old  were  often 
noticed  to  grab  at  a  bit  of  candy,  for  the  line 
of  erotic  and  silly  reading  that  went  with  it. 
The  slips  have  been  in  use  in  the  far  West 
now  a  number  of  years,  and  nearly  all  of 
them  have  a  history  of  their  own ;  a  history 
on  the  one  hand,  of  many  an  adifying  exam 
pie  which  they  were  instrumental  in  bringing 
about;  and  on  the  other,  of  many  a  siui^ulnr 
tavor,  with  which  the  most  munificent  of 
Queens,  the  Virgin  Mother  of  God,  wiw  pietised 
to  ai)prove  and  bless  the  little  practices. 


7.  God  is  never  more  wonderful  than  in  the 


8 


MAY  BLOSSOMS 


ways  and  workings  of  his  grace  in  what  is,  in 
the  meaning  of  St.  Dionysius  (De  Ego.  Hieb. 
C.  3.)  ^^  The  most  divine  of  aU  divine  works  ",  the 
conversion  and  salvation  of  sonls.  And  when 
we  are  assured  by  our  Lord  Himself  (Matt. 
X}  42  -  XXV,  34,  35,)  that  a  drink  of  water  given 
in  his  name  will  not  be  left  without  reward 
in  Heaven,  we  can  easily  infer  that  as  in  the 
order  of  nature,  much  more  so  in  the  order 
of  grace  great  things  may  have  their  start 
from  very  small  beginnings ;  and  that  even  so 
small  an  act,  as  giving  a  drink  of  water,  may 
be,  as  a  part,  so  also  the  beginning  in  the  happy 
consummation  of  that  most  divine  of  all  divine 
works,  the  crown  of  a  saint.  Many  a  saint's 
life  is  proof  of  this,  and  as  Faber  well  said  that 
"a  cross  is  a  crown  begun",  it  will  be  seen  one 
day,  that  to  some  such  seemingly  casual,  in- 
significant and  trifling  beginning ;  to  a  word 
that  struck  the  ear ;  t^  a  thought  that  entered 
the  mind ;  to  a  sight,  a  prayer,  an  alms ;  in  a 
word,  to  a  little  some  thing,  were  linked,  as 
from  their  starting  point,  some  of  the  brightest 


% 


PREFACE 


9 


1 


< 


crowns  in  Heaven. 

■■ .  ^ 

8.  Bnt,  God  helps  those  who  help  themselves,  • 
and  saints  might  not  be  saints  to-day,  if  ia  the 
building  up  of  their  crowns  they  had  failed  to 
put  in  what  was  expected  of  them,  their  own 
cooperation.  And  this  leads  us  on  to  another 
reflection,  which  is  closely  connected  with  our 
subject  and  better  sets  forth  the  value  and  im- 
portance of  the  little  papers. 

9.  Both  reason  and  faith  teach  us  that,  what- 
ever the  immediate  and  secondary  causes  at 
play  may  be,  nothing  happens  but  by  the  will 
of  God.  Even  those  things,  where  mere  chance 
■would  seem  to  have  the  greater  share  and  be 
most  at  play,  are  regulated  by  God,  as  we  are 
plainly  told  in  Holy  Writ. "  They  draw  Ms,  hut 
it  is  by  God  they  are  directed"  (Peov.  xvi  33) 
What,  then,  has  back  of  it,  Him  who  is  infini- 
tly  wise  and  omnipotent  can  never  be  casual 
nor  trivial.  -  But,  again,  as  God  made  us  all 
and  each  one  for  Himself,  and  we  are  his  at  all 


I 


10 


MAY    BLOSSOMS 


time,  and  at  no  instant  of  our  liveH  can  we 
without  guilt  co,si«i'  tending  to  Him,  whatever 
happens  in  time  and  phic.e  to  any  of  uh  indivi- 
dually must  reeds  have  a  be^iring  oji  our  soul, 
one  way  or  the  other,  for  weal  or  woe,  just  Jis 
GUI-  fre'i  will  in  it*i  choice  in  the  case  will  har- 
monize or  not,  with  the  will  of  God.  Whence 
appeal's  at  (mce,  not  only  how  important  the 
little  papere  may  be,  but  also  how  important 
it  is  that,  as  said  above,  they  be  faithfully 
cimiplied  with  by  evc;ry  one.  For,  how  seem- 
ingly small  and  trivial  the  act  be  which  one 
is  thus  called  upon  to  pertbrm,  becoming,  as  it 
does  under  the  circumstances,  an  act  specially 
assigned  to,  and  exj)ect^d  of  each  individual 
by  (jod's  Providence,  it  curries  along  with 
it  a  special  giace  for  each,  saint  or  sinner: 
and  if  performed  in  a  state  of  grace,  it  wiii  add 
to  one's  store  and  merits ;  and  if  performed 
by  a  sinner,  it  will  help  to  bring  about  and 
hasten  the  sinner's  conversion. 


10.  Kay,  in  the  latter  case  the  little  practi- 

■    .   •  ■         -     ^  -      ■     '. 


PT?EFA(T. 


U 


r 


ceH  jwsnnie  a  special  import anc;^  For,  every 
act  of  rclif^ion  bciiij:!^,  as  St  T  liomas  teaclies, 
(2.2.  Q.  81)  an  act  of  subiuisHion  of  iiian's  will 
to  (!o(l,  any  fciuch  act,  Low  snid]  I  soever  it  be, 
w ill  I  n;^ly  performed  by  a  sinner,  is  already  in 
it  u  If  a  partial  submission  of  the  sinner's  will 
to  (tO(1,  and,  as  such,  a  move  and  an  advance 
in  the  direction  of  the  sinn<*r's  conversion. 
And  further,  as  hei«-  the  le  w  implies  the  great- 
er and  in  the  words  of  our  S.iviour  (Luk.  xvt, 
10)  *'  Ife  that  is  faithful  in  thai  which  is  least ^  ,'s 
faithful  also  in  tha^  which  is  greater''' ^  by  submitt- 
ing itself  in  that  which  is  least  and  not  of  oblig- 
nticm  the  sinner's  will  is  disposed  and  led  on 
to  submission  also  in  that  which  is  greater  and 
biudint .  This,  perhaps,  may  account,  why 
in  great  sinnei-s  some  such  little  rf^ligious  actvS 
are  known  to  hnve  ( ttc^n  l>eon  followed  by  the 
isinn  rs'  total  conver-jion  to  (><.d:  and  also 
why  the  Saints,  guided  by  the  Bpirit-  of  God, 
are  want  to  lay  so  much  impoitance  on  sinneis 
taking  up  and  holding  on  to  son) e  11' tl-'  pra- 
ci  ice.  of  devotion;  whidt.  on  the  contiary,  tbe 


|,B39G1 


/ 


12 


MAY    BLOSSOMS 


devil  with  satanic  cunning  and  persistency  is 
known  to  be  ever  at  work,  in  a  thousand  difife- 
rent  ways,  to  make  sinners  neglect,  loath  and 
throw  off  every  exercise  of  religion  and  piety. 


(I 


11.  In  connection  with  what  has  been  said 
we  may  further  and  lastly  reflect  that,  per- 
haps, not  without  reason  one  might  say  of 
our  times,  what  the  Prophet  lamented  of  his : 
(  Jer.  12,  11 )  ^\Wiih  desolation  is  all  the  land 
made  desolate,  because  there  is  none  that  considereth 
in  the  JiearV\  There  is  no  denying  it,  people 
now  a  days  are  so  taken  up  with  the  things 
of  this  earth,  are  so  engrossed  with  temporal 
cares  and  so  distracted  by  the  world  ^s  novel- 
ties and  inventions,  that  in  the  hum  and  din, 
nay  turmoil,  of  an  over  busy  life,  and  in  the 
feverish  pursuit  of  gain  and  pleasure,  they  have 
neither  will  nor  time  to  seriously  think,  much 
less  to  care,  about  their  soul.  Whence,  even 
amongst  christians,  a  practical  indifference 
about  God,  soul  and  all  religious  duties  that  is 
gimply  appalling.     And  yet,  who  can  wonder! 


MAY    BLOSSOMS 


13 


IS 


lid 
ot 


What  fuel  is  to  fire,   ac^ts  and  works  are  to 
faith  an<l  relijj^ioii,  and  as  a  tii'e  withont  fuel, 

so  religion  and  faitli   withont  their  acts  and 

works  must  needs  soon  langnish  and  die  ont. 

12.  But  who  knows  that  for  some  sueh  hike- 
warm  christian,  a  thought  Jis  by  surprise  and 
stratagem  thrust  into  his  or  her  mind,  so  as  to 
command  opportunely  and  imx)Oi*tunely  a  little 
reflection;  and  better  still,  a  little  virtuous 
act,  the  very  littleness  of  which  would  not  be 
perhaps  the  least  inducement  to  coaxe  some 
one  into  performing  it,  may  not  with  God's 
grice  and  Mary's  blessing,  be  like  a  first  im- 
pulse given  to  a  sluggish  heart,  or  like  a  bit 
of  leaven  that  may  quicken  a  torpid  soul  into  a 
more  active  Christian  life!  This  is  just  what 
the  little  papers  aim  to  do;  this  they  have 
done  in  many  instances,  and  this,  it  is  hoped, 
they  will  do  in  many  more,  where  their  use 
may  be  adojited. 


13.  Wherever    introduced    the   little   slips 


14 


MAY    BLOSSOMS 


take  well,  and  old  and  young,  men  and  wo- 
men, all  soon  appear  to  be  interested  in  the 
devotion.     And  whilst  in  their  adjuncts,  not 
less  tiian  for  their^brevity,  the  little  readings 
will  seldom  fail  to  arouse  and  gain  some  atten- 
tion, they  also  for  that  are  the  more  apt  to  make 
and  leave  on  each  one's  mind,  a  salutary  im- 
pression for  the  good  of  the  soul.     We  say  for 
the  good  of  thQ>oul :  for  this  is,  after  all,  the 
aim  and  object  of  all  devotions :  and  whilst 
we  seek  here,  as  we  do,  to  encompass  this  end 
out  of  devotion  to  the  Blessed  Mother  of  God, 
it  is  clear,  that  not  only  we  thus  honor  Mary 
in  the  very  best  way  we  can,   but  also  secure 
in  her  the  sweetest  and  most  powerful  auxili- 
ary in  our  behalf,  and  thus  better  also  attain 
our  object.  . 


M.  For  all  lluit  has  been  said  we  would 
fain  see  the  little  papers  introduced  every 
where,  confident  that  in  whatever  clime  and 
H)il  they  may  bo  ti-aiisplaiited,  under  tlie 
fostering  hand  and  care  of  lier  who  is  ^'our 


